Average Salary for Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Alumni

Around 23,000 people attend Virginia Commonwealth University, a institution based in Richmond, Va. Students thrive off the school's sports-centered energy and urban environment, which offers countless areas to explore and numerous ways to keep busy. This overview is based on graduates' answers to PayScale's salary questionnaire.

Industry

Graduates of VCU work in a variety of sectors including the education industry, the financial services industry, and clinical care. The most popular career sector among alumni is the health care industry. The average starting salary for a graduate of VCU is $54K.

Jobs

In a competition to see who makes the most bank after graduating, those who become Software Developers and Senior Accountants would definitely win; on average, these alumni haul in around $75K every year. Close behind are Mechanical Engineers (approximately $57K). Business Development Managers pick up about $32K in financial rewards, representing the lowest-paid position among alumni.

Locations

VCU alumni seem to appreciate living in Richmond, and two in five grads actually choose to stay and find employment here after completing their coursework. In addition, former VCU students often head to Mclean, Va. after graduating, where the median salary comes to $85K in this top-paying city. Though Norfolk, Va. takes the cake for lowest pay among VCU grads (the median salary is $47K there), it remains a common destination for former students. Washington, DC is also a common pick among VCU grads, along with New York, N.Y.

Degree Major

A medical degree earns VCU students the most money after college (an average $166K per year). Graduates holding a Bachelor of Science in Economics fare the worst in terms of compensation with an average yearly salary of about $34K.

Skills

Former Rams with Project Management abilities can expect to make 33 percent more than their former classmates ($72K). Proficiency in Project Management is common among VCU alumni, and when it comes to using it on the job, about one in eight former students report doing so. Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office, and Customer Service command top-of-the-line rewards as well.

Benefits and Perks

Just two-fifths of alumni enjoy paid vacation and merely one in four survey participants get paid sick time. Most former students receive health insurance, and a strong majority of graduates get dental coverage. A large number of alumni participate in a 401(k) program. Graduates of Virginia Commonwealth University are also recipients of life insurance, a casual working environment, tuition reimbursement, and a company-subsidized cell phone.

Related Schools

Median pay for University of Kentucky grads is $62K, making their salaries most similar to those of VCU grads. The University of Virginia-Main Campus, the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, and the University of Maryland-College Park are also similar to VCU.